Charles Leclerc is an open book. When things don’t go the right way, his body language sends clear messages, and the same happens when everything seems to be going as expected. The mood is positive, but Charles clarifies that the smile is linked to the goals of the SF-24, objectives that seem achievable even though work will certainly not be lacking.
“There are many things we will try to improve,” commented Charles. “There is still some room for improvement in low-speed corners, as well as in other areas. In the end, ours is a relative sport, so we will have a clear picture after the first qualifiers and the first race. Only then will we know what the main weaknesses are compared to our opponents, and at that point, we will set priorities.”
At the first media meeting of the weekend, the Monegasque responded to those who judge Red Bull’s technicians’ approach as more aggressive than Ferrari’s…
“I think it is very difficult to judge how many risks each team has taken with the new car. Visually, the RB looks very different from last year, but I think to have a clear picture, you should be able to observe every project under the bodywork. At that point, it would be clearer. For us, I don’t think it’s a matter of how many risks you decided to take, but only how much understanding you have of the car, and in this regard, we have taken a huge step forward.”
The most intriguing topic, related to the objectives, was certainly not overlooked…
“Winning several races would certainly be a step forward that would confirm a positive season,” explained Charles Leclerc – “We have a clear vision, and so far, we have taken a step forward every time we have changed the car, and this has been the case since the second half of last year. I repeat, we know we have areas to improve; we have a bit of understeer, and we struggle to turn the car, although I believe this is a general trend throughout the paddock with this generation of cars. I have the impression that everyone has this problem.” – the Monegasque pointed out.
Charles Leclerc is well aware that Red Bull will start with a solid favorite role but does not want to exclude any scenario for the Sakhir weekend:
“Red Bull is one of the few teams that did not carry out a complete simulation during the tests,” Charles emphasized. “This is what normally helps us have a reference and understand where we stand in terms of values in the field. It is very difficult to understand where Red Bull is in terms of performance. We know where we are compared to other opponents, but we don’t have data to compare with them. I must also say that this is a track where we have often done well in the past, and the hope of being able to fight for victory is always there. If there is an opportunity, we will absolutely do everything to seize it.” – the Ferrari man concluded ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
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